Unpaid Fines

Sarah Teather: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what value of court-imposed fines have been defaulted on in (a) each London borough and (b) England in each year since 1997.

Christopher Leslie: Information on fines imposed and collected is provided by the 42 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) with the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority (GLMCA) responsible for courts covering the Greater London area.
	Data are collected on the value of financial penalties (including fines) imposed and outstanding. It is not possible to separately identify the number and value of court-imposed fines defaulted on in any one year.
	Table 1 shows the national position since 1999 when payment rate collection began. There is no comparable data for previous years. Table 2 shows performance and payment rates prior to the establishment of the GLMCA in 2001 for the 22 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) that were subsequently amalgamated into the GLMCA. Data are not available centrally at borough level.
	
		Table 1 Percentage
		
			 Financial year Payment rate(2) (National—England and Wales)   Payment rate (GLMCA) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 62 (1)See table 2 and note below 
			 2000–01 63 (1)See table 2 and note below 
			 2001–02 59 46 
			 2002–03 55 40 
			 2003–04 74 66 
			 2004–05 (April-January)80 67 
		
	
	(1) Prior to 2001 the GLMCA did not exist as a single entity. It was created from the amalgamation of 22 magistrates courts committees (MCCs) on 1 April 2001 and therefore no earlier comparable figures exist. In addition, as a result of changes to the calculation of the payment rate in 2003–04, direct year-on-year comparisons arc not appropriate (see note (2) ).
	(3) The Payment Rate is defined as the amount paid into court as a percentage of new amounts owed. As a result of the revisions in the method of calculating the payment rate (detailed as follows), direct year-on-year comparisons cannot be made.
	Payment rate (September 1999 to March 2003)
	The calculation for the payment rate until March 2003 was:
	Payment rate = amount paid divided by new amount owed
	(New amount owed includes legally cancelled plus civil plus confiscation orders)
	Payment rate (April 2003 to December 2003)
	The calculation for the payment rate between April 2003 and December 2003 was:
	Payment rate = amount paid divided by new amount owed
	(New amount owed excludes legally cancelled plus civil plus confiscation orders)
	Payment rate (January 2004 onwards)
	The payment rate is currently calculated as follows:
	Payment rate = amount paid divided by new amount owed
	(New amount owed excludes legally cancelled plus administratively cancelled plus civil plus confiscation orders)
	
		Table 2: Payment rate for Greater London MCCs(now GLMCA) Percentage
		
			  Financial year 
			 MCC 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 51 59 
			 Barnet 69 29 
			 Bexley 72 63 
			 Brent 54 44 
			 Bromley 51 71 
			 City of London 69 41 
			 Croydon 75 48 
			 Ealing 59 56 
			 Enfield 56 67 
			 Haringey 49 49 
			 Harrow 50 50 
			 Havering 70 75 
			 Hillingdon 105 97 
			 Hounslow 62 48 
			 Inner London 36 27 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 57 63 
			 Merton, 57 56 
			 Newham 56 50 
			 Redbridge 61 88 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 66 86 
			 Sutton 41 44 
			 Waltham Forest 59 46

Corporation Tax

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much UK corporation tax revenue was collected in each of the last 10 years, broken down by industry.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the amount of Corporation Tax liability by industry for the last 10 years for which figures are available.
	
		Corporation tax liability by financial year £ million
		
			 Industry 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 
		
		
			 Agriculture, forestry, fishing 99 109 137 143 106 
			 Energy, water supply 1,065 1,518 1,743 2,751 2,065 
			 Extraction, metal mfg, chemicals 952 1,738 2,052 1,993 1,660 
			 Metal goods and engineering 1,763 2,266 2,304 2,421 2,566 
			 Other manufacturing 2,270 2,670 2,750 2,794 2,799 
			 Construction 548 592 631 702 818 
			 Distribution and repairs 3,030 3,556 3,741 3,997 4,411 
			 Hotels and catering 149 209 272 328 451 
			 Transport and communication 1,423 1,438 1,956 2,019 1,935 
			 Banking, finance and insurance 5,079 6,922 8,520 9,099 10,329 
			 Business services 1,943 2,272 2,489 3,249 3,410 
			 Other services 500 587 707 827 885 
			 Overseas activities 95 464 190 267 190 
			 Not classified 1,125 1,321 1,479 1,051 1,206 
			 All industries 20,041 25,661 28,971 31,641 32,829 
		
	
	
		
			  £ million 
			 Industry 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Agriculture, forestry, fishing 86 90 73 88 100 
			 Energy, water supply 1,786 1,903 3,808 3,996 2,829 
			 Extraction, metal mfg, chemicals 1,418 1,188 1,038 1,134 1,198 
			 Metal goods and engineering 2,354 1,918 1,667 1,386 1,276 
			 Other manufacturing 2,853 2,308 2,277 1,920 1,986 
			 Construction 915 934 1,044 1,219 1,420 
			 Distribution and repairs 3,985 3,502 3,462 3,751 3,952 
			 Hotels and catering 427 433 365 340 359 
			 Transport and communication 2,274 1,398 1,207 876 1,263 
			 Banking, finance and insurance 11,543 10,473 12,024 7,945 8,227 
			 Business services 4,301 4,126 4,299 4,325 4,231 
			 Other services 1,002 748 724 828 869 
			 Overseas activities 304 136 78 275 54 
			 Not classified 1,305 773 555 572 876 
			 All industries 34,554 29,932 32,621 28,656 28,639

Rent-a-room Scheme

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) landlords and (b) tenants have participated in the rent a room scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not have central records of the numbers of landlords or tenants who have participated in the rent a room scheme, as many of those landlords do not have to complete tax returns.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral answer of 11 November 2004, Official Report, column 922, on tax credits, when the figures for overpayments of tax credits referred to will be published.

Dawn Primarolo: Statistics on over and underpayments will be published in spring 2005 under National Statistics. In line with the National Statistics code of practice, the date of publication will be announced on the Inland Revenue website in due course.
	http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/updates/updating figures 2003 1.htm

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual saving to the Exchequer of the introduction of (a) self-assessment tax returns and (b) online filing of self-assessment tax returns.

Dawn Primarolo: Self Assessment was introduced in 1996 to modernise and simplify the assessment and payment processes. The new system also produced staff savings worth over £450million within the first four years. The success of the project was confirmed in an independent post-implementation review.
	Since 1996 many improvements and changes have been made in the light of experience and they have also produced savings. One of the most significant has been the ability to file online (via the internet or the electronic lodgement service). More than 1.6 million online tax returns have been received in 2004–05 (for tax year 2003–04). These will generate targeted savings of more than £14 million in 2005–6, which as take up continues to rise will increase to over £40 million per annum from 2011–12.

Tax Returns

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many random checks on (a) self-employed and (b) small business tax returns there were in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of these random checks identified (A) major and (B) minor errors or omissions.

Dawn Primarolo: I can inform that hon. Gentleman that in every year since 1997 the Inland Revenue has undertaken roughly 2600 random enquiries into the tax returns of self-employed individuals and roughly 250 random enquiries into the tax returns of small businesses. In the tax year 1997–98 adjustments were made to the returns in 32 per cent. of all random enquiries. The last year for which the Inland Revenue has produced complete analysis is 1998–99. In 1998–99 adjustments were made to returns in 30 per cent. of random enquiries.

Tax Take (Scotland)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact (a) in total and (b) as a percentage on (i) total Government revenue, (ii) income tax take, (iii) corporation tax take, (iv) national insurance take and (v) revenue from duties of a medium term fall in Scotland's population of (A) 100,000, (B) 250,000 and (C) 500,000.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available. The impact on total government revenues from a fall in the population of Scotland would depend in part on the effects on the age profile and income distribution of the population.

Portcullis House (Fire Alarms)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many fire alarms have gone off in Portcullis House in each of the last two years; how many were found not to have been caused by a fire; what the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest period was that the building was closed; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: In 2003, detecting devices were triggered in Portcullis House on 73 occasions, of which 18 were caused by fire and smoke, 17 were activated for other reasons such as steam and 38 were faults in the system. The corresponding figures for 2004 are 86, 18, 14 and 54. The fire alarm sounded and as a result there was a full evacuation of the building on two occasions in 2003 and seven in 2004. Records are not kept of the length of each evacuation.

Freedom of Information Requests

Julian Lewis: To ask the Solicitor-General what her policy is in respect of the publication (a) on the departmental website and (b) by placing copies in the Library of (i) all or (ii) a selection of the information disclosed in response to Freedom of Information requests since January.

Harriet Harman: Where a response is likely to be of general interest, I have arranged for the information to be placed on the departmental website. This is decided on a case-by-case basis.
	This is consistent with Guidance on Publication Schemes issued by the Department of Constitutional Affairs in July 2002, which recommended that where information is disclosed to an individual in response to a request under the Freedom of
	Information Act, Departments should consider whether the information disclosed is of general interest and include released information in the Publication Scheme where appropriate.
	I do not intend as a general rule to make such information available in the Library, as placing it on the website makes it available to a wider audience.

Whiterock Parade

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General what the reasons were for the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions not to proceed with charges arising from events associated with the Whiterock Parade in July 1993.

Harriet Harman: Arising out of an incident at Whiterock, Belfast, on 28 June 2003, the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland received a police file in respect of an alleged breach of a Parade Commission's Determination of 28 June 2003. Following consideration of the file the police were asked to commence proceedings against one individual for an offence contrary to section 8(7) of the Public Processions Act (Northern Ireland) 1998. This is an offence that can only be tried in the magistrates court and proceedings must be commenced within six months of the alleged offence having been committed. The administrative steps required to initiate the proceedings were a matter for the police.
	The absence of formal confirmation of commencement of proceedings was noticed by the Department on 23 December 2003 and the police were asked to confirm that proceedings had in fact been commenced. The Department was assured that proceedings had been commenced. In February 2004 the Department was informed that through administrative error, proceedings had not in fact been commenced by police within the statutory time period. As more than six months had elapsed at that stage proceedings were by then statute barred and it was not possible to take any further action.
	The Police Service for Northern Ireland referred the matter to the Police Ombudsman for investigation.

Infantry Armoured Artillery

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of infantry armoured artillery was deployed at 1 January.

Ivor Caplin: Around 15 per cent. of Infantry units, 20 per cent. of Royal Armoured Corps units and 21 per cent. of Royal Artillery units were deployed on operations, on 1 January 2005.

Recruitment (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the (a) Black Watch, (b) King's Own Borders and (c) Scots Guards were recruited from Lancashire in the last year for which figures are available.

Ivor Caplin: The information requested for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, the last full financial year for which figures are available, is shown in the following table.
	
		Recruited from Lancashire during financial year 2003–04
		
			 Regiment Number 
		
		
			 Black Watch 0 
			 King's Own Royal Border Regiment 15 
			 Scots Guards 10 
		
	
	It should be noted that Infantry recruits are enlisted into a Division and not a specific Regiment. The results in this table may not, therefore, be fully accurate as it reflects those recruits who specified The Black Watch, The King's Own Royal Border Regiment and the Scots Guards as a "Preferred Capbadge" on enlisting as recorded on the database of Headquarters Recruiting Group, who oversee the Army's recruiting offices.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i) Advisory Committee for the Technical Adaptation of the Community Procedure to Improve the Transparency of Gas and Electricity Prices Charged to Industrial End-users and (ii) Committee for the Implementation of the Series of Guidelines for Trans-European Energy Networksmet; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: A "Task Force on Gas and Electricity Prices", composed of experts from member states looked into the new methodology for the data collection of gas and electricity prices for both the industrial and domestic sectors. It reported prior to the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidency of the EU, which spanned the period July 2003 to December 2004. Subsequently, the Energy Statistics Committee Working Group with senior statisticians from member states, discussed the conclusions of the Task Force in May 2004.
	The Trans-European Networks Financial Assistance Committee for the Energy Sector met once during the Italian presidency of the EU, on 15 July 2003, and once during the Dutch presidency, on 12 November 2004. Both meetings took place in Brussels. The Committee did not meet during the Irish presidency.

Nuclear Waste

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms are used to monitor and track nuclear waste materials; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 28 February 2005
	The majority of UK radioactive waste stocks are recorded in a UK Radioactive Waste Inventory prepared jointly by The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and United Kingdom Nirex Ltd (Nires) approximately every three years. The last published inventory, for a stock date of 1 April 2001, was published in October 2002. The next, for a stock date of 1 April 2004, will be published towards the end of this year. But the inventory is not used to specifically track waste materials, nor does it list all such materials.
	The UK's civil nuclear sites apply stringent security measures regulated.by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). OCNS also regulate security for the transportation of civil nuclear materials. OCNS also regulate security for the transportation of civil nuclear materials. Security at nuclear sites and during transportation of nuclear material is kept under regular review in the light of the prevailing threat.
	In addition, Eurtom Safeguards are applied to the nuclear material content of certain types of nuclear waste and these involve reporting to and inspection by the European Commission.

Complaints about Schools

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints the Commissioner for Local Administration in England has received concerning schools in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills does not keep a record of the number of complaints the Commission for Local Administration has received concerning schools in Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Sure Start

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children in North Durham have benefited from the Sure Start programme since its inception;
	(2)  how much money has been spent on the Sure Start programme in North Durham since its inception.

Margaret Hodge: Durham North has two Sure Start local programmes; Sure Start Stanley and Sure Start Chester-le-Street.
	Sure Start Stanley was approved as a local programme in October 2000 and supports around 940 young children and their families living in the Stanley area of North Durham. The local programme provides a wide range of services to support local families including: access to good quality and affordable childcare, crèche provision, playgroups and parent and toddler groups; improved local health care and family support and an extensive range of training and work related courses.
	Since opening Sure Start Stanley has worked toward improving the quality of life for local families. The number of women smoking during pregnancy has fallen from 36 per cent. to 28 per cent.; the usage of libraries by young children and their families is 7 per cent. above the national average; there has been a significant improvement in the personal and social development of children at school-age. The programme has contacted 869 children out of the total of 943 under 5s in the catchment area and has seen 100 per cent. of newborns within two months of birth.
	There is strong parental involvement in this programme through the Parent Communications Group, (a decision making group of 18 parents), training programmes facilitated by Sure Start Stanley (340 training places taken up by parents) and parents involved as volunteers delivering a range of Sure Start activities and services.
	Sure Start Chester-le-Street was approved as a local programme in April 2001 and has a semi rural catchment area. It supports around 800 young children living in the Chester West area and surrounding villages. The local programme provides a range of services from its main centre including: high quality daycare, parent and toddler and crèche facilities; successfully integrated health services and a wide range of work based training courses.
	Sure Start Chester-le-Street is working toward delivering a rotating service to the outlying villages within its boundary to ensure regular access to Sure Start activities and services for those families living in remote areas.
	The local programme has been successful in improving the quality of life for young children and their families. Following the programme being established, breastfeeding has increased by 5 per cent., a storyline and Bookstart service has promoted the use of libraries by 100 per cent. and a successful baby massage service has led to an extension of the programme to include baby yoga and training for parents for them to deliver the service in the future.
	There is strong parental involvement in Sure Start Chester-le-Street. A Parents' Committee (14 elected parents) is represented on the Management Committee (two parents) and Partnership Committee (two parents), the decision making bodies for this local programme. Parents are actively involved in a childcare NVQ level 2/3 training programme run jointly by Sure Start Chester-le-Street and The Bridge, a local women's charity.
	Durham North has six neighbourhood nurseries. Durham city council is developing four children's centres from these settings that are delivering 169 integrated early learning with childcare places. Around 700 three-year-olds and 830 four-year-olds are receiving free nursery education in maintained nursery and primary schools and other maintained schools.
	The Sure Start local programmes have received DfES funding of £2,286,323 revenue and been allocated £2,075,000 in capital grants since being opened in October 2000 and April 2001 respectively. The neighbourhood nurseries have been allocated a total revenue grant of £777,062 and have received a total of £255,528 in capital grants.
	These programmes are developing into children's centres and will contribute towards achieving our goal of a children's centre in every community by 2010.
	A well thought through careers advice service has enabled 49 parents to complete the Parent Employability Programme.

Housing

Martin Salter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on funding plans for key worker housing in Reading West.

Keith Hill: Affordable housing assistance for eligible key workers within the Reading West area is available through the £690 million Key Worker Living programme.
	As at the end of January 2005, a total of £3,885,366 had been spent to assist 102 key workers in Berkshire to purchase homes through the "Homebuy" element of the programme. "Homebuy" allocations for 2005–06 within the Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Zone are still subject to confirmation.
	In addition it is anticipated that a further £11,306,959 will be spent on producing 396 new build units by March 2007. The following table breaks down these figures by local authority:
	
		
			  Homebuy Element New Build Element 
			 Local authority Number of key workers assisted Total grant expenditure (£) Number of units Total grant expenditure (£) 
		
		
			 Bracknell Forest 17 691,460 50 1,003,001 
			 Reading 29 1,051,530 247 7,770,871 
			 Slough 24 900,476 31 667,500 
			 West Berkshire 7 270,789 0 0 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 4 164,940 28 640,000 
			 Wokingham 21 806,171 40 1,225,587 
			 Total 102 3,885,366 396 11,306,959 
		
	
	Key workers may also benefit from the shared ownership and homebuy programmes funded by the Housing Corporation to help existing social tenants and those on waiting lists into home ownership.

Housing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will break down the expected building costs of building the Government's planned £60,000 homes by each estimated unit construction cost.

Keith Hill: In the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's "Homes for All" public service plan, launched on 24 January 2005, a competition was announced that would invite organisations to bid for the right to construct one or more new developments on English Partnerships owned sites. This "Design for Manufacture" competition aims to demonstrate that it is possible to build a home that reaches good standards of accessible design and environmental performance for £60,000.
	This target cost of £60,000 for constructing a home relates solely to construction costs. In setting this target, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister looked at a series of data sets, including those produced by RICS Building Costs Information Service and the Tender Price Index of Social Housing, as well as real life case studies, to identify what might be a challenging but achievable figure for the core costs of constructing a home.
	One of the main purposes of the competition is to encourage greater efficiency in the construction process. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister anticipates that the creativity and innovation that exists within the industry will mean that this could be achieved in different ways. Thus it is not possible at present to break down anticipated dwelling building costs.
	It is important to note that competition entries will be expected to include a range of dwellings of different types and sizes. While it is anticipated that approximately 30 per cent. of all the dwellings built through the competition will meet a target construction cost of £60,000, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will expect all of the dwellings built through the competition to achieve equivalent cost efficiency.

Official Visits

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the towns and cities in the UK he visited in 2004 in an official capacity; and what the purpose of the visit was in each case.

Tony Blair: In 2004, I undertook the following official visits within the UK:
	
		
			 Date (2004) Destination 
		
		
			 8 January London 
			 16 January London 
			 22–23 January Hexham 
			  Newburn 
			  Newcastle 
			 29 January Rickmansworth 
			 9 February London 
			 12 February London 
			 23 February Birmingham 
			  Edgbaston 
			 24 February London 
			 26–27 February Inverness 
			 4–5 March Teesside university 
			 11–12 March Liverpool 
			  Manchester 
			 18 March Enfield 
			  Milton Keynes 
			 5 April London 
			 19 April London 
			 2 May Cardiff 
			 4 May Leeds 
			 13–14 May Coventry 
			  Birmingham 
			  Gateshead 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne 
			  Bishop Auckland 
			  Chesterfield 
			 27–28 May London 
			  Manchester 
			  Bury 
			  Sheffield 
			 7 June Birmingham 
			  Wolverhampton 
			  Wednesbury 
			 15 June London 
			 7 July London 
			 19 July London 
			 22 July Durham 
			  Coventry 
			 31 August Harlow 
			 1 September London 
			 4–5 September Scotland 
			 9–10 September Middlesborough 
			 13 September Brighton 
			 16–18 September London 
			  Kent 
			 25 September Crawley 
			  Brighton 
			 18 October Coventry 
			  Birmingham 
			 21–22 October Sedgewick 
			  Stockton 
			  Tees Valley 
			  Shildon 
			 9 November Falconwood Green 
			  Welling 
			 13 November Liverpool 
			 25 November Slough 
			 2–3 December Edinburgh 
			 8 December Belfast 
			 9, 10 December Sheffield 
		
	
	My visits covered a range of matters including health, education, criminal justice, the economy and meeting current and former members of the armed forces. I also travel regularly to my constituency.
	I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, "Travel by Ministers".

Bio-energy/Biofuels

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from the biomass study group on (a) barriers to developing bio energy and (b) how barriers to developing bio energy might be overcome.

Elliot Morley: The Biomass Task Force issued its first progress commentary on 14 February. The commentary has been sent to stakeholders and can also be accessed on the Defra website.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will undertake research to determine what measures would be needed to alter public perception of the culling of TB-infected badgers in order to facilitate a comprehensive culling programme of TB-infected badgers.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra wants to achieve a better understanding of the views of the wider public so these can be reflected in policy development. Public opinion around badger culling is one area of interest. Defra strives to ensure that its policies are based on the best available scientific evidence, and that they are cost effective and sustainable. Any future decision on badger culling will need to take account of the way the general public perceives badgers and acceptability of culling them to control TB in cattle.
	Defra commissioned research at Reading University will give some assessment of societal values ascribed to changes in badger populations. We will consider the report of this work, expected shortly, and undertake further work on informing and assessing public opinion.

Climate Change

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her statement on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1368, on climate change and the environment, which 20 countries will attend the round table discussion for Ministers; what the (a) date and (b) location of the meeting will be; what the agenda is for the meeting; what aspects of the impact of climate change upon development will be discussed; which environmental non-governmental organisations (i) have been invited and (ii) will be attending; and what the desired outcomes of the meeting are.

Elliot Morley: The Energy and Environment Ministerial Roundtable will take place at the Brewery, London, on 15–16 March 2005. The invited countries are: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the United States and the European Commission. At this point, most countries have confirmed attendance by at least one minister and in some cases two.
	In addition to participation by ministers, selected senior figures from international and non-governmental organisations concerned with energy and environmental issues have been invited.
	The roundtable will consider the challenges and opportunities for investment in sustainable and secure energy systems in a lower carbon world. The sessions will cover national and international policy drivers, national experience of and priorities for the development and diffusion of technology and how to accelerate these and the deployment lower carbon energy systems. The roundtable will focus on the key issues that were identified by national experts during the preparatory meeting, including sustainable energy and its development context.
	This new and innovative forum will enable us to share valuable experience and look at new ways of working together in the development and deployment of sustainable energy systems.

Foot and Mouth

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many companies have not yet been paid by her Department for work on the foot and mouth epidemic.
	(2)  how many companies have gone to court to seek payment for work done during the foot and mouth epidemic; and how many have been settled (a) in and (b) out of court.

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims arising from the foot and mouth outbreak lodged with the Department are awaiting payment.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to pages 36 and 37 of the National Audit Office report "Foot and Mouth Disease: Applying the Lessons—Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General HC184 Session 2004–2005 2 February, 2005".

Gangmaster Licensing Act

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to take action against those gangmasters who contravene provisions of the Gangmaster Licensing Act 2004.

Alun Michael: The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 gives the Secretary of State responsibility for enforcing the criminal offences set out in the legislation. These include the offences of operating as a gangmaster without a licence, using an unlicensed gangmaster and the possession or use of false documents.
	These offences will be brought into effect once gangmasters who require a licence have had the opportunity to apply for one. It will also be necessary for the Secretary of State to make regulations clarifying the checks labour users must make to establish the due diligence defence created by the Act. If the Gangmasters Licensing Authority makes early progress on specifying licence conditions and establishing the new licensing arrangements after its anticipated establishment on 1 April, it is expected that the new offences will be introduced mid 2006.
	A new team of enforcement officers will be appointed by the Secretary of State to enforce the criminal offences created under the Act. Enforcement officers will have wide ranging powers including the power of arrest, the right of entry and the power to obtain information or the production of records.
	The Act gives the Gangmasters Licensing Authority responsibility for ensuring that licence holders comply with the provisions of a licence issued to them. The Authority will set out how it intends to undertake its compliance role once it is formally established.

Institute for Animal Health

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she had made of the effects the restructuring at the Institute for Animal Health will have on research into (a) BSE, (b) milk quality, (c) streptococcal pathogenicity, (d) pestiviruses, (e) porcine immunology, (f) avian pox virus, (g) avian leucosis, (h) Marek's disease and (i) respiratory syncitial virus.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 3 March 2005
	In line with the evolving needs and requirements placed on such an institute the IAH management have developed a five-year strategy, within which decisions have been reached to no longer continue certain areas of work, this is to reflect changing priorities in part governed by financial constraints. Throughout the process of strategic planning the IAH management have been mindful to ensure that the Institute will be able both to maintain the depth of its research activity and to develop the financial capability to work on important new areas of science as they arise.
	With respect to work on BSE and more general TSE research, this remains of critical importance to the Institute, with approximately 20 per cent. of the research capability devoted to this area. The changes being made will not have a significant impact on the Institute's ability to deliver its core science around TSEs.
	In areas where it has been decided to cease or reduce work then there will inevitably be some effects but research on these subjects continues to be done by other groups in UK or elsewhere.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department has made to the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and what use she expects to make of the Assessment once it is published; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In August 2004, the Department coordinated views on the second review of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) to the MA Secretariat from Government Departments and agencies. Defra also submitted reviews on the final synthesis reports in December 2004. In addition, a scientific advisor from my Department was a lead author of the chapter on policy implications (Volume II, Chapter 14).
	In 2001, DETR contributed £42,100 to the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) to enable the recruitment of a member of the MA technical support staff and to initiate assessment work for the MA. The MA will be published in stages. The overall findings of the report will be launched in London, and other major world cities simultaneously, on 30 March 2005. Seven synthesis reports, up to 120 pages each, will be published between April and September 2005. Four technical reports, 500–800 pages each, will be available in July 2005. An additional set of about 16 sub-global assessments will also be released separately from late 2005 to 2006. My Department will study and make use of relevant information as the different sections become available.
	The Assessment is expected to contribute into the process established by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for assessing progress towards the target set by the World Summit on Sustainable Development—to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

SMEs

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the interest-free loan scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises that install energy efficiency measures is cash-limited.

Elliot Morley: The Carbon Trust offers interest-free unsecured loans of between £5,000 and £100,000 to small and medium-sized businesses who are investing in an energy-saving project. The amount of money that can be offered under the loan scheme is governed by European "de minimi's" state aid exemptions which limit the amount of state aid that an organisation can receive in a three year period. The Carbon Trust is a private company, decisions regarding the provision of funding by the Carbon Trust is a matter for their board.

Supermarkets (Dairy Prices)

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with supermarkets on prices for dairy products paid to farmers; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Price negotiations between producers and processors, or processors and supermarkets are a private commercial matter in which the Government cannot and should not get involved, provided competition rules are respected. However, Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain and are therefore aware of the issues. For example, my noble Friend, the Lord Whitty, will chair the next Dairy Supply Chain Forum meeting on 2 March 2005. The Supermarket Code of Conduct is currently the subject of investigation by the Office of Fair Trading, which is expected to report shortly.

Wine

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reasons the UK is withdrawing from the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV); and by what mechanisms UK wine growers will be represented on the OIV in future;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the benefits to the UK wine market of membership of the International Organisation of Wine and Vine;
	(3)  what the cost to the UK of belonging to the International Organisation of Wine and Vine was in the last year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: The costs of the UK belonging to the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV) have been variable and have depended on the number of proposals under consideration within the organisation, the degree of UK involvement, the resources attached to that involvement, as well as the level of annual membership fees that have been set. Where the OIV chooses to hold its meetings, for example France or Australia, will also affect the cost. In 2003–04, the latest year for which figures are available, the meetings attended by the UK were in Paris alone, and the costs estimated to be about £25,000. A cost benefit analysis of UK membership of OIV is not available but the UK's ability to produce, import and trade wine is not conditional on membership. Proposals emerging from OIV need to be implemented into European Community law in order to have practical effect in the UK, so our withdrawal from OIV will continue to ensure a consequence of reprioritisation of the Department's budgetary resources to focus public spending where it is most needed to meet Government objectives. The decision is we will not interfere with the UK continuing to play an active role in the development of European Community policy and legislation on wine and that the interests of the UK wine industry and consumers are fully represented at that level.

China (Military Technology)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to develop a transatlantic consultative mechanism to prevent the transfer of sensitive military technology from the EU to China.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 28 February 2005
	In December 2004 The European Council discussed the EU Arms Embargo on China. The UK and partners invited the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU to take forward work on the review of the embargo. This is ongoing. Until the review process is complete, the Government continues fully to implement the Arms Embargo.
	The Government are in favour of dialogue and consultations with EU partners and other close allies which might provide it with more information on which to take defence export licensing decisions under the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This principle applies to China as it does any other country. There has been no formal discussion or proposals within the EU about a transatlantic consultation mechanism with respect to China, although there have been contacts between officials in several member states on this subject.

China (Military Technology)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has received from his EU counterparts regarding the development of a transatlantic consultative mechanism to prevent the transfer of sensitive military technology from the EU to China;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the development of a transatlantic consultative mechanism to prevent the transfer of sensitive military technology from the EU to China.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 28 February 2005
	The Government are in favour of dialogue and consultations with EU partners and other close allies which might provide it with more information on which to take defence export licensing decisions under the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This principle applies to China as it does any other country. There has been no formal discussion or proposals within the EU about a transatlantic consultation mechanism with respect to China, although there have been contacts between officials in several member states on this subject.

Iran

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written answer of 23 February 2005, Official Report, column 621W, on Iran, and the oral answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) of 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1496, what the E3 have agreed with Iran following the (a) working groups on political/security issues meeting in Geneva on 9 to 11 February and (b) working group on technology co-operation meeting on 8 February.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 3 March 2005
	These working groups, and one on nuclear issues, were set up under the agreement between Iran and the UK, France and Germany on 15 November 2004. Their aim is to agree long-term arrangements for Iran's nuclear programme based on objective guarantees that the programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes; and they provide for co-operation in other areas. The groups meet every three or four weeks in Geneva. The group on political and security issues has discussed, for example, export controls, counter-narcotics co-operation and other subjects of mutual interest. The working group on technology and co-operation is looking at issues in a range of economic sectors. But in view of the need to build mutual confidence and trust, the two sides have agreed not to disclose details of the discussions, which are continuing.

North Korea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the re-establishment of the 6-country discussions on north Korea.

Bill Rammell: The Government have no direct involvement in the six party talks process. We follow developments closely as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, as a Depositary State of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and as a member of the European Union. We are also in direct and regular contact with all the parties involved in the six party talks process, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We have urged the north Korean authorities to reconsider their suspension and we very much hope that the talks will be resumed as soon as possible.

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of charges for applications for student visas on the number of overseas students applying to universities in Scotland.

Chris Mullin: The fees for applying for entry clearance in order to study in the UK are set at 36 in order to recover the cost of processing the application without burdening the taxpayer. They have not risen since 2002 and are currently under review.
	While statistics are only available for entry clearance to the UK as a whole and not by area, applications to study in the UK have increased year by year since 2000. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him today (UIN 220332).

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications were made for student visas to study in each country of the UK in each year since 2000; and how many student visas were issued in each year since 2000, broken down by country of study in each year.

Chris Mullin: Statistics are only available for entry clearance to the UK as a whole and not by area.
	As of March 2001, UK visas the department responsible for entry clearance matters arising overseas, began providing statistics by financial year. Before this, statistics were provided by calendar year.
	The number of those applying to study in the UK and issued entry clearance since 2000 is as follows:
	
		Number
		
			  Applications received Issued 
		
		
			 January 2000–December 2001 125,239 99,559 
			 March 2001–April 2002 151,524 121,466 
			 March 2002–April 2003 181,905 128144 
			 March 2003–April 2004 225,239 146,736 
		
	
	These figures are publicly available on the UK visas' website (www.ukvisas.gov.uk). Figures for 2004–2005 are not yet available.

Student Visas

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was raised from charges for applications for student visas from students studying or seeking to study in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland in each year since 2000.

Chris Mullin: Statistics are only available for entry clearance to the UK as a whole and not by area.
	The overseas entry clearance operation is required to function on a full cost recovery basis and is therefore non-profitable. The student visa fee is calculated to ensure that it covers the cost of the work involved in processing the application. The charge for a student visa application is currently 36 irrespective of factors such as the duration of the course, where the student applied for entry clearance overseas or where they intend to study in the UK. The fee was last raised in 2002 and the level of visa fees is currently under review.

Iran

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department plans to provide for victims of the recent earthquake in Iran.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member for Newark to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1065W.

Mine Clearance

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in what countries his Department is funding mine clearance.

Hilary Benn: During the current financial year (2004–05), DFID is supporting bilateral demining projects in the following countries:
	Afghanistan
	Angola
	Cambodia
	Georgia and Abkhazia
	Iraq
	Laos
	N. Caucuses
	Somaliland
	Sri Lanka
	Sudan

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to deliver improved effectiveness of UK and international support for conflict prevention by addressing long-term structural causes of conflict, managing regional and national tension and violence, and supporting post-conflict reconstruction, where the UK can make a significant contribution, in particular Africa, Asia, Balkans and the Middle East, by 2008 will be met;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to improve trading opportunities for developing countries and a more competitive Europe will be met by 2008;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that the EU secures significant reductions in EU and world trade barriers by 2008 will be met;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that 90 per cent. of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction that have reached decision point by the end of 2005 received irrevocable debt relief by the end of 2008 will be met.

Hilary Benn: These four questions relate to targets in the Department for International Development's Public Service Agreement (PSA) for the period 2005 to 2008. This PSA will be implemented from 1 April 2005. Progress against the Targets will first be assessed in DFID's Autumn Performance Report 2005 (which we expect to be published in December 2005).
	DFID also has targets relating to conflict prevention, trade and debt relief in its 2003–06 PSA. Progress against these Targets has been assessed twice-yearly in DFID's Autumn Performance Reports and Departmental Reports. The most recent analysis of performance against DFID's PSA targets was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all 2003–06 PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of EC Overseas Development Assistance to low income countries from 38 per cent. to 70 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to ensure that 75 per cent. of eligible heavily indebted poor countries committed to poverty reduction receive irrevocable debt relief by 2006 will be met;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of his Department's bilateral programmes evaluated as successful by 2006 will be met;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of his Department's bilateral programme going to low income countries from 78 per cent. to 90 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(5)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure improved trading opportunities between the UK and developing countries by 2005 will be met;
	(6)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to secure agreement to a significant reduction in trade barriers by 2005 will be met;
	(7)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to work with international partners to make progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals;
	(8)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the impact of EC external programmes on poverty reduction;
	(9)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of 15 to 24-year-old pregnant women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa from 16 per cent. by 2006;
	(10)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in Asia from 87 per cent. to 94 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(11)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in South Asia from 42 per cent. to 32 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(12)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa from 48 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(13)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in sub-Saharan Africa from 89 per cent. to 96 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(14)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of births attended by skilled birth attendants in Asia from 39 per cent. to 57 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(15)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the cure treatment rate of tuberculosis to above 85 per cent. in Asia by 2006 will be met;
	(16)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the detection rate of tuberculosis to above 70 per cent. in Asia by 2006 will be met;
	(17)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the prevalence rate of HIV amongst vulnerable groups in Asia to below 5 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(18)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-five years mortality rate of girls and boys in Asia from 92 to 68 per 1,000 live births by 2006 will be met;
	(19)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase primary school enrolment in Asia from 95 per cent. to 100 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(20)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in East Asia and the Pacific from 15 per cent. to 10 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(21)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to support the effective implementation of the G8 Action plan for Africa;
	(22)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the number of people whose lives are affected by violent conflict in sub-Saharan Africa by 2006;
	(23)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the UK contribution to conflict prevention and management in sub-Saharan Africa;
	(24)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of births attended by skilled birth attendants in sub-Saharan Africa from 49 per cent. to 67 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(25)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-five years mortality rate of girls and boys in sub-Saharan Africa from 158 to 139 per 1,000 live births by 2006 will be met;
	(26)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to increase primary school enrolment in sub-Saharan Africa from 58 per cent. to 72 per cent. by 2006 will be met;

Hilary Benn: Details of the Department for International Development's performance against its 2003–06 Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets are published twice a year, in the Autumn Performance Report (December) and the Departmental Report (April). The most recent analysis of performance against DFID's PSA targets was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www. dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all the PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the humanitarian aid system;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to improve the effectiveness of the UN agencies.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–06 Public Service Agreement does not have PSA targets as specifically worded in these questions. However, we do monitor improvements in the institutional effectiveness of 12 multilateral agencies, as an indicator of progress against the following sub-target: "Work with international partners to make progress against the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals". The 12 agencies monitored include the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and seven United Nations agencies.
	The most recent analysis of performance against this PSA sub-target was published in the Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www. dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to enhance partnership at the country and regional level to ensure that international policies support African development;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to enhance partnership at the country and regional level to increase the effectiveness of aid in African development;
	(3)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the effective response of multilateral agencies to conflict and humanitarian crises;
	(4)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the impact of multilateral agencies in reducing poverty.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development's 2003–2006 Public Service Agreement does not contain targets as worded in these questions. However, we do have sub-targets that relate to subject matter of these questions:
	Effective implementation of the G8 Action Plan for Africa in support of enhanced partnership at the regional and country level.
	Work with international partners to make progress towards the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
	The most recent analysis of performance against these sub-targets was published in DFID's Autumn Performance Report in December 2004; this is available in both hard copy in the Library of the House of Commons and electronically on DFID's website (www. dfid.gov.uk). Updated assessments of performance against all the PSA targets and sub-targets will be provided in DFID's Departmental Report 2005, which we expect to be published in late April.

Benefit Payments

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of each state benefit in total in the (a) Kirriemuir West, (b) Kirriemuir East, (c) Brechin West, (d) Brechin North Esk, (e) Westfield and Dean, (f) Forfar West, (g) Forfar Central, (h) Forfar East, (i) Brechin South Esk, (j) Montrose Ferrydean, (k) Montrose Central, (l) Montrose West, (m) Montrose Hillside, (n) Forfar South, (o) Letham and Friockheim, (p) Arbirlot and Hospitalfield, (q) Keptie, (r) Arbroath North, (s) Brothock, (t) Hayshead and Lunan, (u) Harbour and (v) Cliffburn wards of Angus council.

Chris Pond: The information is in the table.
	
		Benefit case loads at ward level within Angus local authority: August 2003
		
			  Income support Jobseeker's allowance Attendance allowance Disability living allowance Incapacity benefit State pension Minimum income guarantee Pension credit 1 
		
		
			 Kirriemuir West 75 50 90 170 125 845 95 175 
			 Kirriemuir East 135 70 115 170 195 845 160 265 
			 Brechin West 80 55 105 150 115 970 130 195 
			 Brechin North Esk 110 65 120 170 160 925 135 235 
			 Westfield and Dean 100 50 85 175 170 735 90 160 
			 Forfar West 85 40 140 160 125 905 200 270 
			 Forfar Central 105 50 135 155 145 810 150 250 
			 Forfar East 145 60 105 200 200 815 155 255 
			 Brechin South Esk 155 80 70 145 165 530 110 185 
			 Montrose Ferryden 165 130 95 160 155 725 130 200 
			 Montrose Central 145 145 140 170 190 875 185 290 
			 Montrose West 140 80 100 170 150 865 125 190 
			 Montrose Hillside 100 75 60 170 155 645 100 155 
			 Forfar South 140 60 85 115 130 655 95 170 
			 Letham and Friockheim 85 50 85 170 180 805 95 170 
			 Arbirlot and Hospitalfield 120 80 90 150 145 805 95 145 
			 Keptie 100 80 120 190 155 905 170 265 
			 Arbroath North 80 65 70 145 145 630 90 130 
			 Brothock 295 140 85 260 275 585 140 230 
			 Hayshead and Lunan 150 80 80 210 220 655 125 195 
			 Harbour 290 170 200 310 335 840 315 415 
			 Cliffburn 210 145 140 220 240 750 195 290 
		
	
	(5) Pension credit caseload relates to December 2004.
	Notes:
	1. All wards based on census wards—those boundaries current as at April 2003.
	2. All benefit case loads at ward level are rounded to a multiple of five to protect the confidentiality of individual claimants.
	3. Pension credit replaced MIG in October 2003.
	4. Minimum income guarantee is defined as income support claimants and/or partners aged 60 or over.
	5. Income support claimants are defined as claimants aged under 60 who do not have a partner aged 60 or over.
	6. Incapacity benefit case load includes severe disablement allowance claimants.
	7. Housing benefit and council tax benefit data are not available at local authority ward level.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 100 per cent. data August 2003

Financial Assistance Scheme

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written statement of 22 February 2005, Official Report, columns 16–18WS on the Financial Assistance Scheme, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing benefits (a) in full, (b) at the level that will be provided by the Pension Protection Fund and (c) at 80 per cent. of the core pension entitlement, but with the same minimum and maximum benefit cut off as applies to the Pension Protection Fund, to (i) all the members of the schemes potentially eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme listed and (ii) the 15,000 occupational pension scheme members who will be covered by the Financial Assistance Scheme provisions for those within three years of retirement age.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimates have been made.

Integrated Impact Assessment

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will extend the consultation period in respect of the integrated impact assessment which was due to conclude on 4 March.

John Spellar: The publication of Water Service's second Asset Management Plan does not provide grounds for extending the 14 week consultation period on the Water Reform Programme Integrated Impact Assessment which ends on 4 March 2005.

Public Service Pensions

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's proposed changes to the local government pension scheme and the retirement age of school teachers; and what assessment was made of the consequent effect upon job prospects for newly qualified teachers.

Barry Gardiner: The Department of the Environment will be consulting on proposed changes to the local government pension scheme in Northern Ireland in the near future. This scheme covers education and library board staff and support staff in some schools but does not extend to school teachers.
	The Department of Education considers the review of the Northern Ireland Teachers' Superannuation Scheme (NITSS) as an opportunity for modernisation in a way that scheme members will value and also secures the long-term affordability of the scheme. We have therefore embarked upon a major consultation with interested parties, including individual teachers, to give them an opportunity to comment on a range of issues related to the future of the NITSS.
	In particular, the Department is looking at ways of increasing the flexibilities available to teachers over the way in which they plan for their retirement because the more attractive and flexible the NITSS is as a benefit to the membership, the greater the contribution it will make to recruitment of newly qualified teachers and retention of existing members.
	The consultation document can be found at www. deni.gov.uk

A & E Services (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Chorley and (b) Preston used accident and emergency services in each of the last three years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not collected in the format requested. The information shown in the following table relates to the Lancashire teaching hospitals national health service trust, which serves Chorley and Preston. Data before 2002 relates to the two predecessor organisations—Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust and Preston acute hospitals NHS trust—which merged to form the Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust on 1 August 2002.
	
		Attendances at accident and emergency departments at Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust
		
			Quarter Total A and E attendances at Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust 1 
		
		
			 2004–05 2 27,637 
			 2004–05 1 27,944 
			 2003–04 4 24,898 
			 2003–04 3 24,581 
			 2003–04 2 27,235 
			 2003–04 1 26,883 
			 2002–03 4 23,757 
			 2002–03 3 23,733 
			 2002–03 2 26,272 
			 2002–03 1 26,322 
		
	
	(6) Lancashire teaching hospitals includes both Royal Preston hospital and Chorley and South Ribble district general hospital. Separate data for the two hospital sites on attendances is only available prior to 2002–03.
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE.
	
		2001–02
		
			  Quarter  Trust Total A and E attendances 
		
		
			 4 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 11,007 
			 4 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 14,115 
			 3 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 11,442 
			 3 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 14,422 
			 2 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 12,118 
			 2 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 15,289 
			 1 Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust 12,502 
			 1 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 15,095 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE.

Alcohol-related Hospital Admissions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged between 11 and 15 years were admitted to hospital in (a) Greater London and (b) each London health authority owing to alcohol-related problems in each year since 2002–03.

Stephen Ladyman: Data are collected as counts of finished in-year admissions where there was a primary diagnosis or cause code for alcohol related diseases.
	The table shows the number of cases by strategic health authorities (SHAs) in London, followed by a sum of the total, which constitutes the total for London.
	
		Counts of finished in-year admissions where there was a primary diagnosis or cause code for alcohol related diseases—age at admission: 11 to 15 years—national health service hospitals in London strategic health authorities
		
			 SHA 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Q04 North West London 54 86 
			 Q05 North Central London 66 63 
			 Q06 North East London 58 80 
			 Q07 South East London 59 69 
			 Q08 South West London 122 140 
			 Total London SHAs 359 438 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Alcohol-related diseases
	These are defined by a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol (ICD10 code F10), alcoholic liver disease (K70) or toxic effect of alcohol (T51) or a cause code of accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45).
	2. Finished in-year admissions
	A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

Avian Flu

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the threat posed to public health in the UK by avian flu; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1080W.

Children's Weight

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average (a) weight and (b) waist size was of children in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 February 2005
	Figures from the Health Survey for England for the average weight for children are shown in the table. Children have been included in the survey since 1995. No data on children's waist circumference has been collected as a raised waist circumference has only recently been identified as a risk factor for children.
	
		Children's mean weight, by survey year, age and sex, children aged 0–15 with valid weight measurement -- Weight (kg)
		
			  Age 
			  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 
		
		
			 Boys  
			 Mean  
			 1995 — — 13.3 15.3 17.4 19.1 21.4 24.2 27.4 
			 1996 — — 14.0 15.2 17.4 19.3 21.7 24.4 27.4 
			 1997 — — 13.8 15.4 17.7 19.4 22.0 24.2 27.8 
			 1998 — — 13.3 15.3 17.4 19.3 21.6 24.3 27.5 
			 1999 — — (7)— 16.7 18.2 19.3 21.9 25.5 28.5 
			 2000 — — (9)14.3 15.8 17.5 19.5 22.0 24.4 27.7 
			 2001 — — (9)13.43 15.3 17.1 20.5 22.1 25.2 28.8 
			 2001(8) (9)6.2 10.4 12.9 15.3 17.1 20.5 22.1 25.2 28.8 
			 2002 6.4 10.7 13.0 15.5 17.8 20.0 21.9 24.4 27.7 
			 2003 (9)6.9 10.6 13.1 15.9 17.6 19.7 22.7 25.3 28.0 
			   
			 Girls  
			 Mean  
			 1995 — — 13.0 14.8 17.0 19.1 21.6 24.3 28.4 
			 1996 — — 13.1 14.8 17.3 20.0 21.4 24.2 27.3 
			 1997 — — 13.0 14.8 17.2 19.1 21.3 24.4 27.6 
			 1998 — — 13.4 14.9 17.3 19.3 21.7 23.7 27.5 
			 1999 — — (9)13.0 15.0 16.7 19.4 22.1 24.6 28.4 
			 2000 — — (7)— 14.5 17.5 19.9 21.8 24.3 27.7 
			 2001 — — 13.5 14.7 16.8 19.2 21.3 24.6 28.8 
			 2001(8) (9)5.8 9.9 12.7 14.7 16.8 19.2 21.3 24.6 28.8 
			 2002 6.0 9.8 12.6 14.8 17.4 19.6 22.1 25.0 28.7 
			 2003 (9)5.6 9.8 12.7 14.9 16.9 19.8 22.0 25.1 27.1 
		
	
	
		Weight (kg)
		
			  Age 
			  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 
		
		
			 Boys
			 Mean
			 1995 30.7 33.2 37.7 42.1 48.8 54.0 58.8 
			 1996 30.4 33.7 37.6 42.3 46.5 53.6 60.6 
			 1997 30.5 34.4 37.4 41.4 46.9 53.7 60.5 
			 1998 29.8 33.8 38.1 43.6 48.8 53.3 58.7 
			 1999 30.8 35.7 38.5 43.6 48.5 (9)53.8 60.0 
			 2000 30.0 34.8 38.8 43.9 47.5 (9)56.4 61.7 
			 2001 32.0 35.0 37.2 43.5 48.5 55.0 61.1 
			 2001(8) 32.0 35.0 37.2 43.5 48.5 55.0 61.1 
			 2002 31.1 35.9 39.4 44.0 49.2 56.7 61.9 
			 2003 32.6 35.5 40.2 42.9 49.6 58.5 60.7 
			 
			 Girls
			 Mean
			 1995 30.0 34.5 40.8 44.7 47.7 53.1 58.5 
			 1996 30.3 34.9 39.3 45.9 49.5 54.0 57.2 
			 1997 30.7 34.6 38.8 45.0 50.4 55.4 59.3 
			 1998 31.2 35.5 40.1 46.5 50.7 55.1 56.8 
			 1999 31.6 34.4 39.8 (9)46.3 49.9 (9)56.2 55.8 
			 2000 30.1 35.6 39.9 45.3 51.4 56.2 57.9 
			 2001 31.4 36.0 40.1 46.6 51.9 55.4 58.9 
			 2001(8) 31.4 36.0 40.1 46.6 51.9 55.4 58.9 
			 2002 32.2 36.4 42.5 46.0 50.9 57.5 58.3 
			 2003 31.5 35.2 40.9 46.7 51.0 57.0 58.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Age 
			  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 
		
		
			 Bases (weighted)
			 Boys  
			 1995 — — 65 140 145 147 161 143 145 
			 1996 — — 80 145 172 160 168 170 158 
			 1997 — — 109 229 226 217 230 238 258 
			 1998 — — 76 144 129 153 146 173 153 
			 1999 — — 25 64 70 74 69 82 69 
			 2000 — — 32 49 56 67 72 54 71 
			 2001 — — 51 95 149 124 132 108 112 
			 2001(8) 51 82 91 95 149 124 132 108 112 
			 2002 98 165 201 218 238 275 262 305 312 
			 2003 31 89 88 75 95 96 115 117 94 
			   
			 Girls  
			 1995 — — 61 131 177 148 157 129 139 
			 1996 — — 62 142 152 161 165 155 185 
			 1997 — — 99 232 234 232 228 246 243 
			 1998 — — 62 126 133 147 149 142 154 
			 1999 — — 37 77 74 71 75 75 63 
			 2000 — — 20 53 59 61 73 62 59 
			 2001 — — 65 100 119 130 121 113 144 
			 2001(8) 42 89 125 100 119 130 121 113 144 
			 2002 65 218 215 249 239 261 281 259 281 
			 2003 26 73 78 93 86 97 106 106 105 
		
	
	
		
			  Age 
			  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 
		
		
			 Bases
			 Boys
			 1995 138 140 128 142 140 132 134 
			 1996 153 161 142 143 150 152 155 
			 1997 237 220 228 226 216 207 196 
			 1998 163 147 150 139 115 127 117 
			 1999 78 77 82 69 69 59 68 
			 2000 70 66 71 67 69 52 62 
			 2001 123 117 112 148 123 132 98 
			 2001(8) 123 117 112 148 123 132 98 
			 2002 284 308 277 308 262 284 271 
			 2003 120 98 118 101 116 102 103 
			 
			 Girls
			 1995 139 144 147 136 120 135 125 
			 1996 144 141 159 140 142 122 118 
			 1997 244 251 224 209 192 198 181 
			 1998 122 138 161 135 105 146 123 
			 1999 85 61 69 58 68 67 60 
			 2000 55 63 59 55 74 61 68 
			 2001 138 136 141 117 122 104 131 
			 2001(8) 138 136 141 117 122 104 131 
			 2002 286 283 268 286 280 292 226 
			 2003 101 129 113 112 112 123 95 
		
	
	(7) The unweighted sample base for this category is too small for results to be shown.
	(8) In 2001, infant length measurement was included for those aged six-weeks to two-years.
	(9) The unweighted sample base for this category is below 50. Treat results with caution.
	Note:
	Age rounded to nearest integer

DEHP Plasticiser

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the resolution by the European Parliament to restrict DEHP plasticiser in medical devices.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are aware of the European Parliament Resolution on the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004–2010, which refers to the restriction of Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in medical devices except where such a restriction would have a negative impact on medical treatment. Medical devices are placed on the European Market in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Devices Directive. In meeting the relevant essential safety requirements, manufacturers must make an assessment that any risks are outweighed by the clinical benefits and that evidence of such benefits are provided.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which is the body in the United Kingdom with oversight for the Medical Devices Directive, has ensured that appropriate manufacturer's representative bodies are fully aware of the implications of the directive as they apply to DEHP containing medical devices.
	The Agency is also aware of, and are encouraging, manufacturers' efforts to find alternative material to phthalates, looking at ways of limiting exposure to DEHP and gaining a better understanding of DEHP toxicity

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1688W, on dentistry, and the answer to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1620W, on the "Keeping in Touch" scheme, what information he collects on the number of whole-time equivalent dentists being recruited as a result of the Keeping in Touch scheme.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 1 March 2005
	The Department collects information from the retaining and returning adviser in the dental post graduate deanery on the dentist's date of return to work, the primary care trust where the dentist is working and the number of sessions worked.

Drug Rehabilitation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget is for drug rehabilitation in 2004–05; what allocation he has made up to 2007–08; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The poled drug treatment budget for 2004–05 and the allocated funding up until 2007–08 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Amount (£ million) 
		
		
			 2004–05 253.4 
			 2005–06 299.4 
			 2006–07 423.8 
			 2007–08 478.4 
		
	
	It is estimated that an additional £200 million mainstream funding is being spent on drug treatment in 2004–05, but we are not able to estimate the mainstream spend in future years.
	These figures incorporate all six treatment modalities. These are day care; general practitioner prescribing; specialist prescribing; residential rehabilitation; in-patient detoxification and structured counselling. We do not have specific spend figures by individual treatment type.

Drug Rehabilitation

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in the Standing Committee on the Drugs Bill on 3 February 2005, fifth sitting, Official Report, column 155, what progress has been made by (a) his Department and (b) the national treatment agency in advising (i) general practitioners and (ii) other prescribers to consider using opiate substitutes other than methadone.

Melanie Johnson: A decision to use buprenorphine or opiates other than methadone for opiate substitution treatment requires knowledge and understanding of the use of these drugs in the management of addiction, as well as their limitations. Such treatment would normally be initiated by a specialist or a general practitioner with additional competence in this area of practice.
	To support effective prescribing of a range of opiate, the Department has issued the clinical guidelines, "Drug misuse and dependence—guidelines on clinical management" (1999). The Department issued additional guidance on the availability of buprenorphine by instalment dispensing in 2001. In addition, the Department has funded the training of 800 GPs in a range of substitute opiates through funding of the Royal College of General Practitioners certificate course between 2002 and 2005.
	The national treatment agency (NTA) for substance misuse has produced clinical guidance, "Prescribing services for drug misusers" (Research into practice briefing No. 2, January 2003), that includes a review of the evidence base concerning a range of pharmacological treatments for drug misusers, including alternative opiate substitute drugs. Further clinical guidance, "Injectable heroin (and injectable methadone)—potential roles in drug treatment" (May 2003), also gives advice on alternatives to methadone substitution therapy.

East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey PCT

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of spending on acute services by the east Elmbridge and Mid Surrey primary care trust was spent at (a) Epsom and St. Helier, (b) Guildford, (c) Kingston, (d) east Surrey and (e) St. Peter's hospitals in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey PCT

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have become obese in the east Elmbridge and Mid Surrey primary care trust area in each of the past three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Health Services (North Durham)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses there were in North Durham (a) in 2001 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table. Data are supplied at strategic health authority (SHA) level as practice nurse data are not available by trust for 2001.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including practice nurses(10) in the County Durham and Tees Valley SHA area by organisation 30 September each specified year -- Headcount
		
			   2001(10) 2003 
		
		
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA total 8,600 9,084 
			 5D9 Hartlepool PCT 82 170 
			 5E1 North Tees PCT 138 307 
			 5J8 Durham Dales PCT n/a 213 
			 5J9 Darlington PCT n/a 131 
			 5KA Derwentside PCT n/a 147 
			 5KC Durham and Chester-le-Street PCT n/a 218 
			 5KD Easington PCT n/a 184 
			 5KE Sedgefield PCT n/a 170 
			 5KM Middlesbrough PCT n/a 335 
			 5KN Langbaurgh PCT n/a 218 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA n/a 1 
			 QDE County Durham HA 27 n/a 
			 QDP Tees HA 8 n/a 
			 RCA Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust 604 n/a 
			 RCJ South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1,658 n/a 
			 RR9 North Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1,139 n/a 
			 RTA South Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1,324 n/a 
			 RTC County Durham and Darlington Priority Services  NHS Trust 601 629 
			 RTR South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust n/a 2,296 
			 RVW North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 1,348 1,237 
			 RVX Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust 1,200 882 
			 RXP County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals  NHS Trust n/a 1,946 
		
	
	n/a = Not applicable.
	Sources:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census.
	Department of Health general and personal medical services statistics.

Hospitals

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in England are in debt; by how much in each case; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	We have taken debt to mean the cumulative breakeven position as reported in the final accounts of national health service trusts. We do not collect information at individual hospital level.

Mobile Phones

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's advice is on mobile phone use by under 16s.

Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 18 January 2005, Official Report, column 876W.

Parliamentary Questions

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will provide a substantive reply to question reference 215855, tabled for answer on 10 February.

Rosie Winterton: I replied to the hon. Member on 2 March 2005, Official Report, column 1226W.

Prosecutions (Non-entitlement to Treatment)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of civil action have been brought forward by the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service and its predecessors against those suspected of getting free treatment from the NHS to which they are not entitled since 1997; and how many of those cases have resulted in successful prosecution.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 24 February 2005
	The penalty charge was introduced in August 2001 as a civil fine for patients who wrongly obtain help with national health service charges for themselves or someone else. The penalty is five times the amount owed, up to a maximum of £100, plus the original unpaid NHS charge. If the penalty charge is not settled within 28 days from the date of posting, a surcharge will be applied. The surcharge is calculated as 50 per cent, of the penalty charge.
	Since the penalty charge was introduced, 164,133 penalty notices have been issued. Up to 9,000 cases are currently going through the debt recovery process. 9,954 cases have already been dealt with by judgments in county court. The rest have been paid or concluded without recourse to court proceedings. Repeat offenders are subject to criminal prosecution where that is appropriate.
	Five patients have been prosecuted under section 29 of The Health Act 1999 for obtaining free NHS treatment to which they were not entitled.
	The number of prosecutions is low as the penalty charge is found to be the most cost effective way of dealing with high volume but low value fraud.

Smoking

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of smoking on health in Liverpool.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The estimated percentages of deaths attributable to smoking in primary care trusts (PCTs) in Liverpool are shown in the table. The total figures for England are given for comparison.
	
		Estimated percentages of all deaths attributable to smoking in Liverpool PCTs Percentage
		
			 PCT Male Female All persons 
		
		
			 Central Liverpool 27 18 22 
			 North Liverpool 28 21 24 
			 South Liverpool 24 15 19 
			 England 22 72 77 
		
	
	Note:
	The percentage is based on the annual average estimate of smoking attributable mortality across 1998–2002 and the observed number of deaths from all causes, all ages for 2002.
	Source:
	Information in the table is from the data underlying the publication of "The Smoking Epidemic in England, November 2004"—The Health Development Agency (HDA). Available on the HDA website at www.hda.nhs.uk/html/improving/smoking epidemic.html.

Animal Experimentation

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the impact of the Human Genome Project on (a) the total number of animals, (b) the number of genetically modified mice and (c) the number of genetically modified primates, that will be used in the next few years.

Caroline Flint: It is assumed that the question refers to animals used in scientific procedures. It is not possible to estimate the total number of genetically modified animals that will be used in that way over the next few years as a result of the Human Genome Project. That will be largely dependent on strategic research and funding decisions by the funding councils and the private sector, and the nature and quality of the resulting scientific proposals. Any impact the Human Genome Project does have may be offset by a reduction in the use of non-genetically modified animals.
	During 2003—the latest year for which figures are available—genetically modified animals were used in 764,000 regulated scientific procedures representing 27 per cent. of all procedures for 2003 compared with 26 per cent. in 2002 and 8 per cent. in 1995. Rodents—nearly all mice—were used in 98 per cent. of these procedures. It is likely that this trend of a gradually increasing use of such animals over the last decade will continue as advances in genetic science open up new avenues of research, and this may well include work arising from the Human Genome Project.
	At present there is no use of genetically modified non-human primates licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Any applications for licences to conduct such work would be referred for advice to the Animal Procedures Committee.
	Whatever the impact of the Human Genome Project we will continue, in administering the 1986 Act, only to license use of animals when we consider there is no alternative, and then only when both the number of animals to be used and any resulting suffering are minimised.

Child Poverty

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to achieve the Government's targets of (a) ending child poverty by 2020 and (b) halving it by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 2 March 2005
	The Home Office is supporting the Treasury in meeting the ambitious targets this Government have set on child poverty. Children born into poverty are more likely to be victims of crime and more likely to offend. The Child Poverty Review highlighted the strong associations between youth crime, parental crime and child poverty.
	In order to tackle the poor outcomes associated with child poverty, and to improve the life chances of poor children, the Home Office has invested in a number of prevention programmes for children at risk of involvement in crime or substance misuse.
	To break the cycle of youth offending and deprivation, the Home Office Strategic Plan includes a commitment to increase youth crime prevention programmes. This includes multi-agency Youth Inclusion and Support Panels, targeting high risk children and their families, providing them with support and improving their access to mainstream services. It also includes the Youth Inclusion Programme, which targets the 13 to 16-year-olds most at risk of crime in 72 of the most deprived neighbourhoods. The numbers of both will be increased by 50 per cent. by 2008. We have also increased the coverage of Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSPs).
	Children living in poverty are a key risk group for substance misuse. We are targeting young people in the most deprived neighbourhoods at risk of substance misuse through "Positive Futures", a national sports based social inclusion programme aimed at marginalised 10 to 19-year-olds. Positive Futures aims to "have a positive influence on participants' substance misuse, physical activity and offending behaviour". The Positive Futures projects have proved successful in building relationships, engaging and providing developmental opportunities for young people living in deprived areas.

Correspondence

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 14 October 2004 from the hon. Member for Brent, east regarding Ms Varsha Edeis.

Caroline Flint: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 22 February 2005.

Criminal Justice Intervention Panels

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the National Offender Management Service will inter-relate with the Criminal Justice Intervention Panels; and what impact on crime rates he expects to result from such inter-relation.

Paul Goggins: The Drug Interventions Programme (formerly Criminal Justice Interventions Programme) is a critical part of the Government's national strategy for tackling drugs. Its implementation is being phased and delivery at a local level is through community-based Criminal Justice Integrated Teams (CJITs) which adopt a case management approach to offer access to drug treatment and support for drug misusing offenders.
	With the creation of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) we envisage the drugs case manager acting as the link to and, in some areas, provider of drug treatment services. Regional Offender Managers will be responsible for ensuring that effective links are established within his or her region between offender managers and CJITs. This will avoid duplication and ensure a fully integrated package of support and management for drug misusing offenders before, during and after sentence.
	Research shows that engaging offenders in drug treatment significantly reduces offending and impacts on crime. The successful co-operation of the Drug Interventions Programme and NOMS will contribute to the planned overall reduction of 15 per cent. in offences recorded by the British Crime Survey by the end of 2007–08.

National Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budget for the National Probation Service for 2005–06 will provide for the additional employment of front line staff.

Paul Goggins: The 42 local probation boards have been provided with an extra £20 million for the recruitment of extra staff to fund the full year effect of staff recruited in 2004–05 and to commence the recruitment of a further 1,000 staff in 2005–06. This amounts to approximately 37 per cent. of the probation boards' increase in budget for 2005–06.

National Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation staff he expects will be employed in each probation area in England and Wales by 30 March 2006, broken down by grade.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is as follows:
	By March 2006, it is anticipated that there will be more than 21,000 probation staff, an increase of at least 1,880 (9.8 per cent.) on the 19,120 FTE employed at 30 September 2004.
	It is not possible to provide this information by Area or Grade at the present time.

Police

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the integration of police IT systems.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) announced on 22 June 2004 that the Government accepted the recommendations of Sir Michael Bichard's report following the Soham murders, including the introduction of a national IT system to support police intelligence. Work on introducing a national information-sharing system, safeguarding the future of the central information services currently provided by the Police National Computer, and implementing the business process changes in the police service required to make the new systems effective is being taken forward under the IMPACT Programme. As an interim solution, a National Nominal Index (NNI) gives police forces access to data held by the Criminal Records Bureau's Interim Police Local Cross-Check (I-PLX) system, which flags which forces hold information in specified systems about an individual. The NNI is currently being piloted in three forces and will be rolled out to other forces during 2005. The aim is to complete the IMPACT Programme by March 2007.

Prisons

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with prison governors about the ability of prison officers to carry out front-line duties beyond the age of 60 years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service has been involved in a range of discussions with prison governors and their representatives on the ability of prison officers to work beyond the age of 60 through the formal Whitley Council structure as well as in other forums. These discussions continue. Prison Officers are currently able to work beyond the age of 60 in exceptional circumstances where the Governor is satisfied that retention is necessary to meet the over-riding needs of the Service.

Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the performance of the National Probation Service in meeting its targets for (a) 2003–04 and (b) April to September 2004.

Paul Goggins: The performance of the National Probation Service (NPS) in meeting its targets for 2003–04 and April to September 2004 is set out in the table.
	
		
			  2003–04 April to September 2004–05 
			 Performance measure Target Achieved Target Achieved Percentage point change 
		
		
			 Enforcement within 10 days (percentage) 90 77 90 85 +8 
			   
			 Compliance 70 63 70 65 +2 
			 Compliance including orders allowed to continue  (Target = 70 per cent.) — — 70 79 — 
			   
			 Offending Behaviour Programme Completions 15,000 13,136 7,500 6,827 — 
			 Percentage — 88 — 91 +3 
			   
			 ECP completions — — 11,850 17,518 — 
			 Percentage — — — 148 — 
			   
			 DTTO starts 9,000 8,519 6,078 4,847 — 
			 Percentage — 95 — 80 -15 
			   
			 Basic Skills Starts 16,000 14,971 11,520 13,353 — 
			 Percentage — 94 — 116 +29 
			   
			 Basic Skills Awards 4,000 2,815 2,960 3,302 +44 
			 Percentage — 70 — 112 — 
			   
			 Sickness (days) 9 12.3 9 11.5 - 0.8 
			 Victims contacted (percentage) 85 91 85 (10)93 +2 
		
	
	(10) April-June 2004
	The figures illustrate the real improvement that the NPS has achieved on most of its main service delivery targets.
	It should be noted that the targets for:
	DTTOs have increased from 9,000 to 13,000
	Basic Skills starts have increased from 16,000 to 32,000
	Basic Skills completions have increased from 4,000 to 8,000
	The results for the first six months are very promising and show that the NPS can achieve all of its targets this year, provided that the good work done so far is maintained across all the 42 areas.

Probation Service

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Home Office has conducted stress surveys amongst staff in the probation service in England and Wales.

Paul Goggins: The National Probation Directorate has not conducted stress surveys amongst staff in the probation service in England and Wales. However, a number of probation areas may have conducted such surveys.
	The National Probation Directorate has been working closely with the local employers, trade unions and the Health and Safety Executive to deliver a first class health and safety policy to the National Probation Service.
	A recent study carried out by the Work Foundation on behalf of the Cabinet Office identified the working relationship between the National Probation Directorate, Employers and Trade Unions in developing the Health and Safety Strategy as National Best Practice.
	As part of the strategy, the National Probation Directorate has recently published a stress policy to be adopted by Areas that is considered by the trade unions, employers and the Health and Safety Executive as a best practice model. This policy was created in accordance with the Health and Safety Executives launch of the Stress Management Standards in November 2004.

Probation Service

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps will be taken to improve morale within the National Probation Service.

Paul Goggins: In 2003–04 attrition rates within the National Probation Service (NPS), that is the number of staff who leave the NPS, not including those who transfer within the service, stood at 8 per cent. for professional staff and 15 per cent. for support staff. This is well below the national average across the public sector. At the same time, the NPS has experienced little difficulty in recruitment, with total staff numbers rising by over 5,000 since 1997.
	The performance of the NPS, which is another good indicator of morale, has undergone a sustained period of improvement since 2001.
	Each probation area will receive a significant budget increase in 2005, with around 2,000 new members of staff to be recruited over the course of the year. This reflects the commitment the Government have to effective community supervision and will make a real difference to the management of offenders.
	We will continue to encourage constructive dialogue with probation staff in order to ensure that they are fully engaged in the future development of the National Offender Management Service.

Sexual Assaults

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the network of sexual assault referral centres to (a) Leeds and (b) Yorkshire.

Paul Goggins: Plans are underway to develop a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Leeds which would provide forensic examination and link in with the support and counselling offered by the STAR (Surviving Trauma After Rape) project. STAR was established in 1994 by the Police and the four health authorities in West Yorkshire to provide co-ordinated support and counselling for victims of sexual assault. In addition, I understand that the voluntary and community sector are considering developing a SARC in Halifax.
	We are committed to increasing the number of SARCs in England and Wales and Home Office funding from the Victims Fund is to be made available for the establishment of new SARCs in 2005–06. Projects in Leeds and in Yorkshire will be invited to apply for grants along with all other areas of England and Wales. Details of the application process will be made available in March.

Unpaid Fines

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were imprisoned because of (a) unpaid fines and (b) uncompleted community orders in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The number of persons received into prison establishments in default of payment of a fine in each year from 1997 to 2003 is as follows.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 6,336 
			 1998 5,374 
			 1999 3,727 
			 2000 2,476 
			 2001 1,453 
			 2002 1,192 
			 2003 1,250 
		
	
	Information for 2004 is only available to 30 November at present, during which period there were 1,719 receptions of fine defaulters into prison establishments, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.
	The available information on persons imprisoned for uncompleted community orders is for persons 1 sentenced to immediate custody following breach of a community sentence 2 and is as follows:
	1 Includes a person more than once if sentenced to immediate custody for a breach of more than one type of community sentence on the same day.
	2 Includes probation orders (community rehabilitation orders from April 2001), supervision orders (but not available for 1997–99), community service orders (community punishment orders from April 2001), attendance centre orders, combination orders (community punishment and rehabilitation orders from April 2001), curfew orders, reparation orders (from June 2000), action plan orders (from June 2000) and drug treatment and testing orders (from October 2000). It does not include referral orders (from April 2002).
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 7,205 
			 1998 6,401 
			 1999 7,573 
			 2000 8,317 
			 2001 8,094 
			 2002 9,071 
			 2003 9,526 
		
	
	Statistics for persons sentenced in 2004 are due for publication later this year.

Victim Support (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the victim support scheme in the Greater London area.

Paul Goggins: The Greater London area is not serviced by one individual Victim Support scheme. Victim Support services are organised by individual London boroughs and the London Crown Court Witness Service is managed by Victim Support's National Office.
	The Home Office assesses the effectiveness of individual Victim Support schemes by monitoring the outcomes of Area Inspections, undertaken by Victim Support's Quality and Standards Department. Several London boroughs and the London Crown Court Witness Service have been reviewed since the new inspection process was introduced in 2003. Victim Support's Inspection reports are public documents and can be viewed on their website.
	The Home Office also reviews Victim Support's statistical information for the Metropolitan area on an annual basis. In 2003–04 Victim Support schemes and Witness Services in the Metropolitan area received a total of 236,683 referrals. The community based services made 249,905 successful contacts and achieved a personal contact rate which exceeded the national average.